Objective: Student will learn how decimals can be used in the library to find non-fiction books.
Materials needed: Power Point, Index Cards, Markers, Rulers, Non-fiction Books in small groups spread around room on different tables.
Summary: Students have problems finding non-fiction books on the shelves. They don't understand that you have to use the numbers left of the decimal first to narrow down to what shelf to look on and then those right of the decimal to find the specific book. Show the students an introductory power point about how the Dewey Decimal system helps them find specific books in a library. Then have the students copy the spine labels from a small collection of Non-fiction books onto index cards. Depending upon age, you may use books from different Dewey sections or you may use books from the same Dewey section. Using the decimal point as the alignment point, have the students put the index cards in order of how they would be found on the shelf. They may need a ruler to help them align the cards and help the students get the cards in order. Have the students compare their "order" with the order of other students at their table. Have the students move to another table and repeat process. Once the students have practiced at a few tables, the final test will be a contest between tables putting a larger number of books in proper order - again depending upon age of students you may want to use books from different Dewey sections or from the same section.
21st Century Skills Addressed: Information Literacy, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Initiative and Self-Direction, Productivity and Accountability, Collaboration
6th Grade - Dewey Decimal